Self-propelled boat



Feb. 1, 1966 J, O'HAGAN 3,232,264

SELF-PROPELLED BOAT Filed April 13, 1964 United States Patent 3,232,264 SELF-PROPELLED BOAT Desmond J. OHagan, 323 E. 78th St., New York, N.Y. Filed Apr. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 359,016 1 Claim. (Cl. 11524) My invention relates to boats and more particularly relates to boats which can be propelled through the water by physical exertion of an operator in the boat without the use of oars. I call this boat a self-propelled boat.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a new and improped self-propelled boat of the character indicated.

Another object is to provide a new and improved selfpropelled boat of the character indicated which is unsink able, has its own propeller and twin rudders.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of my invention will now be explained with reference both to this specification and to the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a cross section through 33 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross section through 44 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the gearing mechanism.

FIGURE 6 is a locking means for the handle.

Referring now to FIGURES 1-5, there is shown a hollow fiberglass hull 10 having the general shape of a small boat such as a rowboat, containing in its bow a sealed air chamber 12 to insure unsinkability.

The hull carries a centrally located cockpit 14 containing a seat 16 for the operator. At the front of the seat is a vertical member 18 having a horizontal handle 20 at its top end and secured to one end of an inclined elongated pitman 22 at its bottom end. Member 18 is pivotally secured to a stationary bearing 24 at a point 26 intermediate the ends of the member.

The other end of pitman 22 is secured by a pin 28 to a circular gear 30 at a point in between the periphery and center of the gear. A cylindrical gear 32 concentri cally secured about one end of an inclined plastic drive shaft 34 engages gear 30. The other end of drive shaft 34 extends outward through the stern of the hull and into the water. This other end carries a propeller 35. The portion of the drive shaft which extends through the stern is protected by a shaft seal 33 having fiber stufiing 35. The gear mechanism is protected by a plastic cowling 37. Gear 32 is rotatable about a horizontal shaft 38 supported by a frame support 40.

Thus as an operator grasps handle 29 and alternatively pulls the handle toward him and then pushes it away (as shown in dotted line in FIGURE 1), a reciprocating motion is imparted to pitman 22, gear 30 is rotated, shaft 34 rotates and turns the propeller to drive the hull through the water.

Twin air pocketed rudders 42 and 44- are secured to the stern at opposite sides thereof. Both rudders are connected through a plastic cord 46 and pulleys 48, cord 46 being wound about member 18 whereby the operator, by rotating member 18 either clockwise or counterclockwise, can turn rudders to turn the hull as desired.

As shown member 18 can be so constructed as to "ice prevent accidental rotation thereof when the operator is propelling the vessel and thus prevent the vessel from going off course.

To this end member 18 comprises a shaft connected to hearing 24 and at its bottom end to pitman 22. The top end of the shaft 100 rests within a cap 102 to which handle 20 is secured. A hollow cylinder 104 is mounted about shaft 100 and is spaced apart therefrom by a bushing 106 secured to both cylinder and shaft adjacent the top end. The shaft in a region intermediate bushing 106 and its top end carries two oppositely disposed circular depressions 108. Cap 102 carries two oppositely disposed and aligned horizontal bores 110, each carrying a ball 112 riding against shaft 160 and held in position by spring 114 and screw 116.

With the arrangement as shown in FIGURES 3 and 6 cylinder 164- can be rotated to turn the cord as desired. However, when the cap is lifted by handle 20, the balls 112 can snap into depressions 108 and lock the structure against rotation. When rotation is desired, the structure can be unlocked by pressing downward on the cap and pushing the balls 112 out of the depressions.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to the drawings, my protection is to be limited only by the terms of the claim which follows.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A self-propelled boat comprising a hull having a bow and a stern, and a cockpit therebetween, said hull having in its bow a sealed air compartment to insure unsinkability, a generally vertical elongated member mounted in said cockpit and pivotally secured to said hull at a point intermediate its ends whereby the top end of said member can be moved back and forth along a line extending from bow to stern, and the bottom end of said member describes a reciprocating motion along said line, an inclined drive shaft having its upper end in said hull and its lower end extending downward and rearward of said stern, a propeller at the lower end of said shaft, means coupled between the upper end of said shaft and the bottom end of said member to convert the reciprocating motion to circular rotation of said shaft about its own axis, first and second rudders pivotally secured to said stern at opposite sides thereof and extending rearward of said stern in parallel vertical planes, means mounted on said member to permit rotation of said means about its own axis, and means coupled between said rudders and said member to permit the rudders to be turned together for steering when said member is rotated about its own axis, and further including a locking device associated with said member and having a first position at which said member is locked against rotation, and a second position at which said member is permitted to be rotated.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 643,490 2/1900 Freund -24 1,184,890 5/1916 Stevens 244-83 1,380,296 5/1921 Hill 114-163 2,724,132 11/1955 Shoup 'et al. 9-6

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

ANDREW H. FARRELL, Examiner. 

